6 Tricks to Find the Perfect Rug for Your Pet

We love rugs. We adore our feline and canine companions. But pets and rugs don’t necessarily go together. There is no one perfect solution to living with pets amidst beautiful rugs. However, if you think creatively, you can reach a happy compromise that lets you have the gorgeous rugs you crave and at the same time, provide a safe and happy living environment for your cats and dogs. Following are six tricks to help you find the perfect rug for you and your pet. Ideas you might consider:

Choose cut-pile over looped pile rugs - Long sharp claws or short stubby ones can accidentally damage rug fibers or cause painful injury to your pets. A flat weave or low pile rug will never cause this issue, the fibers will stay put even if your pet is scratching them! Looped fibers will always get stuck in their claws or teeth, even if they're not trying to get them out!

Color and pattern matter - Consider rugs in colors and patterns that best hide stains and the occasional “oops.” Warm earthy tones can create patterns that allow spots and stains to blend in and hide. Deep saturated hues also work well to camouflage accidental color. Rugs today come in all sorts of designs, from traditional to botanical, country to contemporary.

Pet hair is always there - Search for rugs that are easy to vacuum to remove inevitable shedded hair that’s sure to be left behind after a doggie nap or kitty playtime. Cleaning a polypropylene rug is much easier than you think, there's no need to spend the extra money on a washable rug when you can just water-blot and vacuum your rug! 

Forego the fringe - Fringe can be easily mistaken for an interesting new chew toy, an irresistible chewy magnet for any pet. You may love the look of rug fringe, but with pets, it can easily become a source of frustration for you and your furry friends. It’s no fun to constantly be scolded and told ‘no, don’t chew on that.”

Easy to clean - Pets need area rugs that can be tossed in the washing machine and tumble dried. Alternatively, choose one that can be washed down with a hose on the deck or patio. (Just be sure it’s dried thoroughly and quickly before returning indoors.)

Indoor/outdoor rugs are perfect - These awesome rugs are not only beautiful, with a wide array of appealing colors and stunning patterns, but they tick all the boxes for being pet-friendly. On top of that, indoor/outdoor seem to get better year after year. We can’t wait to see what comes next.

Being realistic is the key to living happily with dogs, cats and area rugs. Pets can capture our hearts and often quickly become part of the family, so you’ll want to adjust your expectations when it comes to rugs. Accidents can and will happen.

Our best advice is to choose rugs you love that are soft and cozy and then figure how they can fit into your pet-centered lifestyle. Pets won’t care about color and pattern, but texture is what matters to them. What they will consider perfect is a soft rug material that’s just right for tumbling and snuggling. So, you see, when it comes to area rugs, you can have the best of both worlds, comfort for your pets and great style for you. Just relax and go for it! Every day, you can enjoy your pets and your rugs!